This application relates generally to folding cartons and more particularly to a four-ply handled carton for a plurality of cans or bottles of beverage.
It is known in the art of beverage carton design to provide cartons capable of handling 12 or more bottles or cans of beverage. Such large quantities of cans or bottles requires stronger folding cartons capable of handling the container weight without tearing in critical areas such as the handle by which the carton is conveyed. It is known to provide multiple thicknesses in the handle area of a folding carton as typified in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,303 issued to Thomas E. Kirby, Jr. on Jan. 20, 1976. Cartons such as the carton shown in the Kirby patent may utilize multiple thicknesses in the handle area ranging from two to four thicknesses as desired. For example, in the Kirby patent there is formed a triple thickness handle as shown in FIG. 2 of his patent which is produced by the use of three top handle panels shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing. In order to form a four-ply handle, there has been provided in the Kirby patent, as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawing, an additional fourth panel which is folded over the third and second panel to form the rolled up handle shown in FIGS. 9-11 of the drawing.
While such a four-ply handle construction appears to be satisfactory, the design shown in the subject patent requires an additional length of paperboard to form the fourth handle panel and requires a more complicated machine to set up the handle panel structure prior to the erection of the completed carton.